Trump hopes for successful North Korea summit, but warns he could walk away

By Steve Holland

 

FILE PHOTO: A combination photo shows CIA Director Mike Pompeo (L) in Washington, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) in Pyongyang, North Korea and U.S. President Donald Trump (R), in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., respectively from Reuters files. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas (L) & KCNA handout via Reuters & Kevin Lamarque (R)

 

PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be successful after a recent visit to Pyongyang by CIA Director Mike Pompeo, but warned he would call it off if he did not think it would produce results.

 

Trump told a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that his campaign of "maximum pressure" on North Korea would continue until Pyongyang gave up its nuclear weapons.

 

He also said Washington was negotiating for the release of three Americans held by North Korea and there was "a good chance of doing it." He did not answer a reporter's question as to whether that would be a condition for going ahead with the summit.

 

“I hope to have a very successful meeting (with Kim),” Trump said in Palm Beach, Florida.

 

“If I think that it’s a meeting that is not going to be fruitful, we’re not going to go," he added. If the meeting when I’m there is not fruitful, I will respectfully leave the meeting.”

 

Trump said earlier that Pompeo, one of his most trusted advisers and his pick to be the next U.S. secretary of state, formed a "good relationship" with Kim when he became the first U.S. official known to have met the North Korean leader.

 

U.S. officials said Pompeo met Kim when he visited Pyongyang over the Easter weekend, which ran from March 31 to April 2, to lay the groundwork for the planned summit, in which Trump hopes to persuade North Korea to abandon development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States.

 

"Mike Pompeo met with Kim Jong Un in North Korea," Trump tweeted earlier. "Meeting went very smoothly and a good relationship was formed. Details of Summit are being worked out now. Denuclearization will be a great thing for World, but also for North Korea!"

 

A senior administration official said Pompeo brought up the case of the three American prisoners with Kim in North Korea and that the United States was hopeful for their release.

 

GOODWILL

Pompeo's visit provided the strongest sign yet of Trump's willingness to become the first serving U.S. president to meet a North Korean leader.

 

Trump said on Tuesday he believed there was a lot of goodwill in the diplomatic push, which he has said could take place in late May or early June.

 

U.S. officials said the visit by Pompeo was arranged by South Korean intelligence chief Suh Hoon with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Yong Chol, and was intended to assess whether Kim was prepared to hold serious talks about giving up his nuclear weapons.

 

They said Pompeo's conversations in Pyongyang fuelled Trump’s belief that productive negotiations were possible, but far from guaranteed. They said no site had yet been chosen for a summit.

 

Pompeo flew to North Korea from a U.S. Air Force base in Osan, south of Seoul, an official with South Korea's Defence Ministry said.

 

Pompeo told his Senate confirmation hearing last week for secretary of state that he was optimistic a course could be set at a Trump-Kim summit for a diplomatic outcome with North Korea, but added that no one was under any illusion that a comprehensive deal could be reached at that meeting.

 

Pompeo said the aim would be “an agreement ... such that the North Korean leadership will step away from its efforts to hold America at risk with nuclear weapons” and that Pyongyang should not expect rewards until it takes irreversible steps.

 

NORTH-SOUTH SUMMIT

News of Pompeo's trip came as South Korean President Moon Jae-in was preparing for his own summit with Kim, on April 27, with a bid to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War a major factor.

 

"As one of the plans, we are looking at a possibility of shifting the Korean Peninsula's armistice to a peace regime," a top South Korean presidential official told reporters in Seoul.

 

"But that's not a matter than can be resolved between the two Koreas alone. It requires close consultations with other concerned nations, as well as North Korea."

 

South Korea and a U.S.-led U.N. force have remained technically at war with North Korea since the Korean War ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. The U.S.-led United Nations Command, Chinese forces and North Korea signed the 1953 armistice, to which South Korea is not a party.

 

The South Korean official said he did not know if any joint summit statement would include wording about ending the war, "but we certainly hope to be able to include an agreement to end hostile acts between the South and North."

 

Trump said on Tuesday he backed efforts between North and South Korea aimed at ending the state of war.

 

Such discussions between the two Koreas, and between North Korea and the United States, would have been unthinkable last year when North Korea conducted repeated missile tests, detonated its largest-ever nuclear bomb, and said the United States was now within range of its weapons.

 

The tests and escalating rhetoric between Trump and Kim raised fears of war before the North Korean leader called, in a New Year's speech, for lower military tensions and improved ties with South Korea.

 

Amid the diplomatic flurry, CNN reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping planned to visit Pyongyang soon, after Kim made a surprise trip last month to China, Pyongyang's sole major ally.

 

Despite China's traditional friendship with North Korea, Beijing has been angered by Kim's weapons development and backed successive rounds of U.N. economic sanctions, from which Pyongyang is seeking respite.On Wednesday, finance ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized countries issued a statement saying they were concerned about North Korea's evasion of sanctions and its "ability to access the international financial system."

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland in Palm Beach, Fla.; Additional reporting by Josh Smith, Soyoung Kim and Joyce Lee in Seoul, Makini Brice, Susan Heavey, John Walcott, Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom and Doina Chiacu in Washington and Christian Shepherd in Beijing; Editing by Alistair Bell and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-04-19

Trump lying again.  He couldn't walk anywhere.  He'd drive away in a golf cart.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

“If I think that it’s a meeting that is not going to be fruitful, we’re not going to go," he added. If the meeting when I’m there is not fruitful, I will respectfully leave the meeting.”

Trump the great negotiator!  The brilliant deal maker!  In reality a truly magnificent moron.  Best to leave the negotiating to the grown-ups in the room Donald.  You will only screw it up as always.

1 hour ago, dunroaming said:

Trump the great negotiator!  The brilliant deal maker!  In reality a truly magnificent moron.  Best to leave the negotiating to the grown-ups in the room Donald.  You will only screw it up as always.

As much as you may dislike President Trump, you are not the President of the United States and he is.

 

I don't particularly like some of his words or actions, but I'm hardly a "brilliant deal maker", or "great negotiator".

 

The description of President Trump; the use of words to describe your thoughts, appears to place yourself into the same category of being a "magnificent moron".

 

Educated "Grown ups", can explain their dislike for an elected President by using appropriate words, rather than resorting to mere name calling and the use of catchy, juvenile phrases.

 

Edited April 19, 20188 yr by Benmart

2 minutes ago, Benmart said:

As much as you may dislike President Trump, you are not the President of the United States and he is.

 

I don't particularly like some of his words or actions, but I'm hardly a "brilliant deal maker", or "great negotiator".

 

The description of President Trump, the use of words to describe your thoughts, appears to place yourself into the same category of being a "magnificent moron".

 

Educated "Grown ups", can explain their dislike for an elected President by using appropriate words that do more than resorting to mere name calling and the use of catchy phrases.

That's absurd. "trump" is a serial liar and potty mouth. You want respect. You give respect. He has dragged the presidency to the deepest gutters. Don't bother putting on airs that such a ridiculous con man demagogue deserves respect only because he won an election (by questionable means as well). 

5 hours ago, ballpoint said:

Trump lying again.  He couldn't walk anywhere.  He'd drive away in a golf cart.

You're being unfair. He'd walk backwards a bit to give himself some safe distance in a Moscow hotel room, towards a cheeseburger, that sort of thing. 

Edited April 19, 20188 yr by Jingthing

Last week the lefties had Presdient Trump as the underdog, with KJU making the running.   You said that he was playing Trump like a fiddle, and his idea of denuclearization was different from that of the US administration.

 

Now Trump is taking the initiative, and you are still condemning him.

 

Make up your minds guys.   Sorry.....you already have, and your poisoned minds will never allow you to say even a balanced word about ANY Republican.

18 minutes ago, Benmart said:

As much as you may dislike President Trump, you are not the President of the United States and he is.

 

I don't particularly like some of his words or actions, but I'm hardly a "brilliant deal maker", or "great negotiator".

 

The description of President Trump; the use of words to describe your thoughts, appears to place yourself into the same category of being a "magnificent moron".

 

Educated "Grown ups", can explain their dislike for an elected President by using appropriate words, rather than resorting to mere name calling and the use of catchy, juvenile phrases.

 

I think I will stick with moron.  It has always been my favourite handle for Trump.  I could add many other descriptive words but they have all been used by many others before.

 

Thanks' for the "catchy" comment though. 

 

Trump is a disgrace.  He has dragged the reputation of the US into the gutter.  He has lied constantly and is incapable of fulfilling the role of POTUS.  He is totally clueless about how to lead and his knee jerk responses to people and situations is just plain stupid and childish.

 

I hope that is appropriate.  I could go on and on but it would just be boring and repetitive.

1 minute ago, dunroaming said:

 

 

I hope that is appropriate.  I could go on and on but it would just be boring and repetitive.

 

 

As it has always been!!!   And.....no doubt will continue to be.

Edited April 19, 20188 yr by F4UCorsair

21 minutes ago, F4UCorsair said:

 

 

As it has always been!!!   And.....no doubt will continue to be.

Touché  

Problem is, these kinds of summits aren't in reality the two top dogs sitting across a table hammering it out, their presence is to sign the agreement that many State Dept officials have hammered out over many weeks.

Problem is State is decimated after Tillerson, for God's sake we don't even have an Ambassador to South Korea, and according to reports rafts of Korean policy experts have left, leaving gaping holes.

This fiction that we have Trump riding into town and it's all done in a day is total nonsense.

Also I would suspect that the two sides have wildly different interpretation of the word 'denuclearization'

In the Trumpian world I suspect it means watching DPRK basically sending all their nukes and reprocessing facilities to the nearest scrap yard.

On the DPRK side I suspect they would see it as potentially suspending further devlopment.

Also for any real movement, DPRK are without doubt demand all US forces be removed from the South. I'm sure in Seoul that strikes terror, that Trump may actually be crazy enough and agree to something like that, if get's in 'crack' negotiating by the seat of his pants mode

This is gonna be fun!

Edited April 19, 20188 yr by GinBoy2

2 hours ago, F4UCorsair said:

Last week the lefties had Presdient Trump as the underdog, with KJU making the running.   You said that he was playing Trump like a fiddle, and his idea of denuclearization was different from that of the US administration.

 

Now Trump is taking the initiative, and you are still condemning him.

 

Make up your minds guys.   Sorry.....you already have, and your poisoned minds will never allow you to say even a balanced word about ANY Republican.

Is Trump a Republican?  Don't think so, most good decent Republicans have their heads in their hands over Donald and his insanity.

 

I seem to remember South Korea was criticised by Trump for meeting with KJU and seeking a diplomatic solution because it was a waste of time.  After meeting the South Koreans then Kim visits China and  gets a warm welcome and a very positive response from them.  So Trump will be the last to meet KJU and even before the meeting Trump is threatening not to go or to walk out if he doesn't like what he hears.  And you seriously think this is Donald taking the initiative?

A farang in NK can't just walk away. Does he know that?

Troll post and reply removed.  

6 hours ago, Benmart said:

As much as you may dislike President Trump, you are not the President of the United States and he is.

 

I don't particularly like some of his words or actions, but I'm hardly a "brilliant deal maker", or "great negotiator".

 

The description of President Trump; the use of words to describe your thoughts, appears to place yourself into the same category of being a "magnificent moron".

 

Educated "Grown ups", can explain their dislike for an elected President by using appropriate words, rather than resorting to mere name calling and the use of catchy, juvenile phrases.

 

 

When Trump core supporters parrot his own words to praise him, just like Trump does constantly describe himself as a genius  - it's all fine - they won. 

When no-Trump supporters use the very same words in return,  then it's " name calling"?    

9 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Problem is, these kinds of summits aren't in reality the two top dogs sitting across a table hammering it out, their presence is to sign the agreement that many State Dept officials have hammered out over many weeks.

Problem is State is decimated after Tillerson, for God's sake we don't even have an Ambassador to South Korea, and according to reports rafts of Korean policy experts have left, leaving gaping holes.

This fiction that we have Trump riding into town and it's all done in a day is total nonsense.

Also I would suspect that the two sides have wildly different interpretation of the word 'denuclearization'

In the Trumpian world I suspect it means watching DPRK basically sending all their nukes and reprocessing facilities to the nearest scrap yard.

On the DPRK side I suspect they would see it as potentially suspending further devlopment.

Also for any real movement, DPRK are without doubt demand all US forces be removed from the South. I'm sure in Seoul that strikes terror, that Trump may actually be crazy enough and agree to something like that, if get's in 'crack' negotiating by the seat of his pants mode

This is gonna be fun!
 

 

Quote.....and according to reports rafts of Korean policy experts have left, leaving gaping holes.

 

Those 'reports' again, the ones that have no name to them, no source, and of course, most importantly, NO validity!!

 

Please, if you're going to make such statements, have the decency to say, "This is my over imaginative side at work here.   I made this up!!"

Edited April 19, 20188 yr by F4UCorsair

Well here ya go then, and next time try to backup your factoids with some links of your own. Maybe provide some links to actually prove your assertion that what I am stating is incorrect, or maybe that's a tad too hard

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/02/tillerson-trump-state-foreign-service/553034/

https://www.justsecurity.org/53757/personnel-crisis-awaiting-secretary-state/

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-state-department-vacancies/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/27/joseph-yun-us-north-korea-diplomat


...I could go on but you get the point. Maybe if you actually read more yourself you wouldn't need to be so dismissive of anyone who states actual information that opposes your your internally generated version of facts.

I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with me, but I have real problems with those of you who just seem intellectually incapable of actually debating anything in a civil way

Edited April 19, 20188 yr by GinBoy2

I have worked for contracts with the Dept of State and have friends there.   It is widely known that the situation is critical with many, many people having left.   Here are a couple of links:

 

60 percent of State Department’s top-ranking career diplomats have left: report

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/369279-60-percent-of-state-depts-top-ranking-career-employees-have-left

 

And here is another:

 

https://www.vox.com/world/2017/11/8/16623278/trump-state-department-data-career

13 hours ago, Benmart said:

As much as you may dislike President Trump, you are not the President of the United States and he is.

 

 

 

Trump is just the mirror of the picture of the the people who voted for him. Not necessery they are all like him, but you can not deny, there is not Trump who placed himself there, it was USA citicens. 

 

So, what kind of presidents and alike comes to mind when you see him there? Berloscini? Saddam?  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Well I read something James Coney said, he is like a mafia boss, and I find it more true than he is a president. If he had the power to kill people to make it easier, he would I believe!

The great negotiator has complained incessantly about telegraphing your intent to the enemy and so far in every international incident he has done just that 

 

And I don't think that threatening to walk out if you don't get what you want is a valid negotiation technique but hey,  I wasn't elected POTUS